A side effect of the ever increasing number of medications in the hospital and clinical settings is the increased need for additional storage space. More concerning however, is that the increase in the number of medications also increases the likelihood of medication errors occurring. Hospitals are becoming increasingly aware that errors in medication are occurring as a result of poor storage solutions.
It is estimated that between about 40,000 and 100,000 individuals die in hospitals each year as a result of preventable errors. The number-one case of adverse and preventable patient events is medication error which leads to an estimated 7,000 deaths annually. According to insurers, medication error is the most frequent cause of procedural related malpractice claims. Commonly these mistakes are made when two products have similar packaging and one drug is mistaken for the other. Medication errors may also occur when similarly packaged vials contain the same medicine, but have different concentrations.
Another problem associated with multi-dose vials is the transmission of infections. While many vials contain antibacterial preservatives, many do not contain antiviral agents. Adding to the problem can be faulty aseptic techniques adding to the contamination rate of the vials. Studies have revealed that the contamination rate may reach as high as 27%. The current storage devices used in the hospital and clinical setting are not addressing these concerns.
Traditional vial storage devices may attempt to save as much space as possible and store the vials in a manner that renders the vial packaging and label hidden. Obscuring portions of the vial label can possibly lead to an increased occurrence of medication error. Especially in an emergency room setting where timely treatment is so important, having vial labels or portions thereof hidden may lead to a health care provider administering the incorrect medication, possibly causing harm to the patient.
In addition, traditional vial storage devices position the vials where it is necessary to touch the top portion of the vial for removal from the storage device. The necessity to touch the area where the syringe interfaces with the vial could lead to the transmission of infections if aseptic techniques are not followed.
Another problem with traditional vial storage devices is the need for secondary labeling. The secondary labeling is typically needed as vial labels are hidden from view in the storage device. The use of secondary labeling results in health care providers using the secondary labels for identification instead of following the correct procedure of reading the label on the vial. This use of the secondary labeling for identification purposes results in an increase in medication errors.
In addition, as space is generally at a premium in a hospital or clinical setting, traditional vial storage can be rather large and bulky requiring additional space for storage. This is especially true in crash carts or other similar devices. Furthermore, although traditional vial storage provides actual storage of the vials or ampoules, there is little in the way of protection. In instances of use such as in connection with crash carts or processing trays, the vials or ampoules often undergo jostling. Many of these traditional storage devices thus may result in breakage of vials or ampoules.
Accordingly, being able to effectively store vials and other containers in a manner that can minimize medication errors and infection transmission is an ongoing challenge in the industry. Consequently, there is a need for a vial holder providing a storage system that can assist in the elimination of these medication errors and reduce the risk of infection transmission by properly positioning the vials as well as meet the space needs in today's hospital and clinical settings while protecting the vials and ampoules from breakage.